Fortress of Rain
by Chartreuse Fae
Summary: What was the incurable curse of being a superior existence called a "country"? PirateEngland x ImperialJapan.


Title : Fortress of Rain

Disclaimer : I did not own Hetalia and its characters! I only own the fanfic~

Summary : What was the incurable curse of being a superior existence called a "country"? PirateEngland x ImperialJapan.

Author's note : I left my deadline~ again.. OTL (sorry..) The idea was inspired by some fanarts of Pochi actually. Most artist gave him white color, but sometimes brown. What if they're not the same Pochi? I meant it's quite interesting.. So, in this fic, I was making the white Pochi and the brown Pochi as a different dog. I'm really, really sorry to all of Pochi-kun's fans, I really like him too.. You can throw me now..OTL

The meeting went longer than he thought. The recent rumors were making all of the superiors anxious and divided them into two large sections. Argues and crosswords echoed around the wall while Japan tried his best to remain collected. If only he could lashed his anger towards the fussing leaders about how useless their opinions were if they only thought about the importance of their own interest, not for the country.

Japan decided to stop wasting his time, there are other important matters in the morning. He unceremoniously walked through the wooden door while invisible fumes kept popping from his head. As he reached towards the exit of the building, the black-haired man could hear the sound of the rumbling weather. He looked into the pitched-black sky and noticed dark grey clouds covering the stars. It was going to rain soon, a big one. He hurried his steps as drops of water fell on his pale face.

Then, all of the sudden, Japan felt a presence behind him. He was too busy attempting to keep his documents dry and didn't realized he has been followed. And his house weren't that far from his present place either. Sighing, he turned his head to find the stalker. And he was surprised how small the stalker was, with brown-colored, fluffy fur that could he mistaken as cotton candy, small ears and small tail, innocent but deep and very small eyes. It was a dog.

The imperial country were surprised as the little dog walked closer to him. It snuggled into his right foot and letting out a content bark. Their eyes met and Japan felt a surge of emotions through the small creature's eyes, the gentle small eyes that looked into the black-haired man's soul.

Unknown to him, a small smile formed on his lips as he patted the small dog. "Pochi-kun. I'm going to call you Pochi-kun. Is that alright?" The small dog replied happily, as if it understand what Japan had said.

He knew he was a solitary person, but that didn't mean that he always comfortable being alone. Sometimes he thanked the God because he met with Pochi. As a soldier representing his country, he couldn't let any person too close to him, be it ally or friends. His Emperor told him to do so, because the risk of a betrayal or rebellion was inevitable. He was forbidden to went beyond the border of 'acquaintance'.

The small friend always seemed to found a way to make his smile bloomed. The small dog was always waiting for his master to come home. Soon, years flowed by, and both of them enjoyed the falling cherry blossoms, the cold water in the summer day, enjoying the afternoon breeze, and praying for the next good and prosperous year on the shrine in the New Year's eve.

But one day, the dog was acting strange. At first, Japan thought it was because of the change in the weather that slightly affected Pochi's condition. The dog began to leave leftovers of his food. Sometimes it ate nothing at all, even though the black haired man gave him his favorite meal. When Japan called him, sometimes he didn't seem to hear anything, just sitting near his pet house and stay still. The brown dog was no longer fond of chasing Japan whenever he was about to went to work, no longer fond of chasing butterflies, no longer fond of smelling the yellow dandelions on the hill. The only thing that Pochi did was sleeping a lot.

Japan was having trouble to point what did the dog thought. He have took Pochi to a vet, but the result said that the dog was healthy and only slightly thin. The vet knew that the dog was stressed about something, but all he can tell it was not a physical stress and it was up to the owner to find out what it is. He tried to go home earlier to spend more times with the brown dog, to find out what was wrong with Pochi, but the dog is as quiet as ever.

A few days later, Japan found out the answer. Pochi's time has come, and he was called by the heaven and leaving the man forever.

He didn't knew how it all went out, but he remembered he orders a cemetery for Pochi, burried him there, arranging the flowers, and.. what else? He didn't exactly remembered what he was doing. Standing in front of the carved named on the stone, reading the name of his only friend for the hundredth times. Alone, as the way he was once used to be. Only the silence and the pour of rain that accompany him.

A lot of people were wondering why Japan was more silent than ever and more solitary than ever. Some people asked him if he had any trouble, but he always refused to answer them, as much as he refused to believe what had just happened.

He didn't put efforts in council meetings anymore and sat there, staring at the papers in front of him yet somehow his focus didn't seem to find any words written there. His closest retainers even failed to pinpoint what was wrong with their lord. Japan never let them escorted them home, for a reason in which Japan was kept a secret, so basically they knew nothing about the brown dog. Countries and regions alike were confused at the mysterious sorrow of the Oriental country.

The black haired man kept coming to the dog's cemetery, praying for Pochi's well-being in the other world and sat there for a long time, until the dusk turned into night. He didn't realize he visited the cemetery almost everyday and drowned in his memories with his small friend. His very first true friend. His mind knew he shouldn't let himself mourning there for such a long time, but his body wouldn't move. Everything didn't seems matter anymore for him. Even when the rain started, he wouldn't flinch from the cemetery.

"Well, well.. what do we have here?" Japan knew this spiteful voice, he turned back quickly and alerting himself to keep some distance off the devil.

His nemesis were standing there, smirking with gleaming emerald eyes. Arthur Kirkland, standing a few distance away while holding an umbrella.

"I never knew you like to play in rain so much, do you realize you're as drenched a poor cat that stumbled upon a bucket of water?"

"Silence pirate. I didn't asked you to judge my appearance," spatted the black-haired man. "Look at yourself. Walking in the rain by yourself. Do you have a secret business going on? Why else would you go out without your escorts if you don't want to be found suspicious?"

The Briton was amazed at how sharp the tongue of the Japanese man was. He chuckled darkly and made a bowing gestures as if he was bowing to a lady. "You honor me too much, my friend. But who is more suspicious? Me, walking casually in while enjoying the rain, or you, drenched in the rain while standing at the cemetery? What are you doing here?"

The smaller man was hesitant, before answering quietly, "It's none of your business."

"I saw you sitting there in front of the cemetery. Is it-"

"I said it's NONE of your business," said the black-haired man, "Please leave me alone, before you regret it."

The pirate laughed," Why you're so worked up about me here? This place is not your private property. I can stay here as long as I wanted."

"…..I already warned you, pirate." Japan lunged forward, his right palm heading towards the Briton's head to blew a punch, but quickly blocked by its target. Then the smaller man made an attempt to hit with his other hand, the other dodged by making a few steps backwards. The ground is slippery and England must be careful not to tumble. Japan saw his brief weakness and ducked lower, swinging his right leg to knock down the pirate. The other man quickly jumped and readied a revenge punch, but the black-haired man rolled to the side. Taking a momentarily breath, both of them are running towards each other again.

It was a raw battle, eye to eye, striking and trying to beat the opponent in front of them. The pirate never had such a match empty-handed like this before with the black-haired man. It brought another kind of brute excitement he thought he would never have with such an elegant fighter like Japan. Right now in front of him, he saw a savage beast targeting him alive without mercy. There was something, a secret that the smaller man are so desperate to hide. He knew a man can be lethal if he was pushed into a corner. And Japan wasn't a man who were supposed to fell into a simple taunt. Hell, he never even saw his temper rising like this before.

The Japanese man still went all out on assault like a madman. The Briton were having difficulty attacking back, he kept blocking and tried maintaining his balance. His instinct told him the smaller man have greater advances through his quick moves, but it was not as simple as that. A difference in their reason to fight mostly determined who had the upper hand. As the Pirate suffer the kicks and punches, then in a flash, he saw a chance to yank Japan's hand and quickly moved behind him, seizing the other hands and gripped them tightly. The black-haired man grunted and protesting his capture.

"Let me go, you rotten rat!"

"Calm down, I'm not looking for a fight here! What's wrong with you?" gasped the pirate, hardly pressuring the small man in his grasp.

"You're what's wrong! Go away before I lost my patience! "

"Wrong, you already lost yours!"

"Let. Me. Go. NOW!" screamed Japan as hysterics as possible, anything to annoy and run away from him. The Briton couldn't do anything, his fingers began to felt numb from holding on so tight. He kept silent and watching the smaller man struggling and hissing and cursing in Japanese and he was sure sometime later he would receive The God's Judgement. He tried his best to remain composed while waiting for the other to finished releasing his anger. Once he heard a saying : don't fight fire with fire, or it will burned everything, and he couldn't agree more. He even hoped the rain would soothed him.

Eventually the smaller man reduced his yells into whimpers, his back was shivering and clearly not from the cold. Whatever made this Oriental country shaken by emotions was equally as destructive as his previous temper. Finally the black haired man calmed down and pleading his release once again. The other obliged, hands retracted to let the blood flowed into his pale fingers. A silence fell on both of them, for it was the pirate who were carefully choosing his words if he wanted to knew the truth from the Japanese man.

"Did someone.. die?"

At first there was no response, but the Japanese man still hesitant to answered. He just stood there, head staring at the ground. The Briton decided to made the next move,"..or maybe it wasn't a person?"

This time, the black-haired man stared at a particular gravestone. Now two pairs of eyes were looking on the same spot and remained motionless. The pirate sighed, so that was the reason the other country were so keen to keep it untold. Understanding Japan was a real pain in the arse most of the time. Or maybe it was because of himself being a prick, always irritating the smaller man was like a default mode for him when they met.

"I'm sorry to hear that," said Arthur softly, a bit amazed at his own reaction. It was unconsciously spoken. Actually the green-eyed man didn't know what to say, he only felt a tinge of sympathy. Somewhere in his heart, he knew how lonely a country could be. No one would really be there for them in time they needed someone just to stand beside them. Sometimes that's all they asked, but the price of being such a superior existence was demanding much more than that. They all paid an ultimate price disguised as a "gift" : a heart containing mortal feelings.

The feelings named loneliness. That was why some of them formed alliances or pacts together, to be able to keep themselves strong, for the sake of their people whom each of them loved so much.

"England-san, you always said you wanted to defeat me. Now is your chance," spoke the Japanese man suddenly with a muted tone, surprising the male pirate. He began to walk slowly towards the blonde-haired pirate. "Kill me."

" W-What? What the bloody hell you're thinking?" stuttered Arthur, hardly believing his ears and panicked at the statement. " Why in the world would I want to kill you? Besides, even though I would love to, I don't bring my sword-"

"These will do." Arthur could felt his hand touched by the small man and directed towards Japan's lithe neck, circling the neck as if he wanted to be strangled to death. The pirate abruptly retreating his hands and backed away again. There's no way a country could be killed with empty hands or weapons, but they can still suffered the pain. And there was already too much pain corrupting the black-haired man's mind.

"No.. no no no no, I take back my words, I have _no_ intention of killing you. I swear-"

"Kill me."

"Stop it, Japan! Calm yourself! And I can't kill you, remember? We're both a country!"

"Why don't you try to?"

"I don't want to kill you! I.. I only hate you, but I never, ever wanted to.. to kill you.."

"Then, why do you always saying that you hate me each time we meet? Why do you always says bad things to me? Why did you say that you want to kill me?"

The pirate gulped and now wished he wasn't so reckless with his words, he never knew Japan would took it for granted. He always thought the small man would just brushed it away. He furrowed his eyebrows and turned away from the sharp gaze just few centimeters away from him. This was a very unlikely situation, while his brain cleverly went totally scattered and tongue was at loss of what to say.

"I see. Pardon me for taking you time," then Japan began to inched away from him and the Briton didn't like it. Why did he pretended to be that strong, while a moment ago he was like an empty shell robbed out of all the life? What was with that demeanor while those dark orbs desperately hiding a forest of sadness? Why can't he say anything to prevent him from wrapping himself with grief?

Arthur pulled the black-haired man's right hand before he could get far, eyes shutting as he closed the barrier of rain between them. Wet lips met the other, bold and hungry while searching for a bit of warmth that was left by their mortal body, praying that would return whatever left of the small man's sanity. Or at least, a consciousness that his nemesis was _bloody_ kissing him. Well, he should be getting a slap or a punch, bu he couldn't help stopping being irresponsible, could he?

But there was no objections from the other and the pirate now confused. Did he overdo it? He pulled away and it was such a strangely blank expression on the Oriental country. Seeing that as a cue, he planted another kiss, this time brushing the small lips lightly and gently. Then he embraced the smaller man and patted his black-haired head.

"Go home, sleep," he said as he shushed the Japanese man near his ears, "I'm sure whoever he is, The God would give him the best place beside him."

The pirate could hear faint sobs as he stroked his small back and the rain was still falling. Judging from the clouds, it was still a long way to go, but both of them knew eventually the rain would go away.

~Omake~

Pitter-patter. Arthur rarely hear those funny words being spoken, but he always managed to hear it. The humid smell filling his nostrils was unmistakeable. He thought that was no wonder for him, because his country always being washed by the rain. As he perched his sights to the gloomy sky, he was aware of a tiny little dog slowly coming closer to his window.

But wait, what was a dog doing in front of the window and how? His office were on the second floor and it's impossible to climb there, because there are no balcony and no trees around the window. And dogs can't really climb in the first place. Then he realized it's not a real dog and smiled to his panic self.

"Come here, isn't it cold outside?" The dog entered the walls of his office and the Briton could see the transparent body of the dog. It was a ghost of a dog. The small ghost emits sad growl and looked at Arthur in the eyes. The dog had a troubled face, looking sad and ears flopped down.

"What is it, little friend?" asked the concerned man. "You are supposed to go to Heaven, staying here will do you no good. Tell me, maybe I can help you."

The small dog's eyes lit up and it barked happily and flying in circles around him, his head motioned to the door, as if asking the Briton to follow him.

Then Arthur followed the small dog, without knowing what the destiny brought to him.

Author's Note 2 : Welllllll…. that's all folks.. *dashed away*

My eyes are burning as I finished the stories….. *the feels omigod*

Also, I never write a semi-smut story like this one… (Is that the right word? semi-smut? Wtf is that? Is this fanfic even have smut elements?) I never have good skills at describing smutty story….

Basically, I want to portray how Imperial Japan was so sad because of the death of Pochi. Then the ghost Pochi was worried that the Oriental country would be lonely again, so he asked for Pirate England's help to see Japan because one of the country who could see ghosts was him… and fdkfgkalfghaghl this fics was born…

Also pardon on the title….. I can't find a better title OTL

And on the scattered 3rd person view. It was really suck, I know. My English pretty much standard OTL

I'm sorry if it was so cheesy…. (Q / Q)

Thank you for reading as always! ( w )/


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